Indianapolis Museum of Art

I attended my first ever Summer Nights at the Movies here at the IMA. What fun! It was well attended and, even though we didn’t get there till around 8:15, we still found a seat. I would suggest going earlier though especially if you plan on taking chairs to sit in. If you’re just going to sit on a blanket, it won’t be hard to find a place. The people at the IMA were very sweet and helpful. I will definitely be going back!

A great museum with a great café, great setup for some remote working or reading a book. Great grounds, great greenhouse. Great activities, great summer film series. All around… Great.

You fall in love with the IMA the moment you enter! It’s visually overwhelming in the best ways.
The parking is free and a season membership is the way to go. They have gorgeous grounds and 4 floors of beautiful artwork.
They’ve recently opened a mini golf art installation that is so much fun. We stopped by midday to play and am so happy we did.

this was on my bucket list for years. but it’s a long drive from Dayton Ohio. We had plans in Indiana and decide to leave early so we could visit the museum. I believe the cost per person was 17 and free parking. Had 2 ½ hours to spend and in that time we saw most of it. feel we saw enough that we don’t plan to return.
I liked the sculpture but wish there were more but sculpture is a fav or mine. I also liked the art glass and nice quilts. Lots of religious art. maybe too much. the
Asian and African area was nice.

Great art museum in the middle of the city.
Location, location, location! The location is key here. Located on the near north west side of downtown Indianapolis. It is on the ground of the old Lilly mansion. Not only is the museum great and filled with art from contemporary to classic to ancient. The contemporary art is pretty large and very well done. They even have a furniture exhibit which is very interesting.
If the art wasn’t enough to see, go outside and explore the gardens, or the outdoor art park, or the Lilly mansion. There is so much to see here! One can get lost in the paths along the ravine with flowers and sculptures. It’s a truly massive and amazing museum. A must visit in Indy.

Went to the IMA today for the new mini golf and ended up staying longer than we anticipated. The mini golf course was fun and we liked all the different art pieces incorporated into each hole, but it’s more for the art than the mini golf.
Afterward, we wandered inside and ended up in the African and Oceanic, Ancient, and European art exhibits for about another hour. Then we walked along the paths to the Lilly house and the gardens/​ravine gardens which are just beautiful. I wish I could have stayed in them all day. All the paths are clearly marked and the inside of the museum too is easy to navigate, especially with arrows on the floor, walls and maps/​signs.
The one downfall is that the price is now $ 19 for admission, however just the 100 acres is free. I find that to be a steep price but thankfully my family has a membership, and college students in Marion county can sign up for a free membership if they bring their valid school id.
I’ve never been one to really love museums because I get antsy but there is a large amount of variety here. Whether you spend your time in the 100 acres, the gardens, the mini golf or the inside exhibits, there’s something for everyone.

Very disappointed in what they are doing or have done to the gardens and parking. As far as I could tell you can’t drive around to the greenhouse any longer. The kiosk with a gate across the road said dock deliveries only in it. They have put up fences and gates where walk ways were. They have take up sidewalks and planted trees bushes and flowers. It is much harder to just go in and enjoy the garden. The museum is no longer free. The signs say 18 $ admission or a single membership is 55 $.

Beautiful grounds, we’re so lucky to have a museum like this in such close proximity to downtown. Their motion sensors are too sensitive, I so didn’t touch the wooden hutch! But the museum itself is huge. We only had time for the first 2 floors, the Lilly house and some of the gardens. I bought a membership mainly to use their walking trails as my «gym». Can’t wait to explore further!
And they have wine at the café! Can’t walk around with it, but they have tables outside near the fountain.

The IMA is such an Indianapolis treasure! I’ve brought family from Chicago here and they have all been truly impressed by the world-​class quality of the museum.
The permanent collections are truly impressive, and the special exhibits are always wonderful! In this past year, they have been pushing the envelope a bit about what constitutes art with things like the Dream Cars exhibit, but honestly, I think that doing things like this will help keep the museum fresh, and it never hurts to push all of us out of our comfort zones a bit. I likely wouldn’t go to a car show, but did visit that exhibit twice. It was fascinating! I just had the pleasure of visiting the Color Me Orchid exhibit today, and was not disappointed. The orchids in the greenhouse were just beautiful! On an impulse, I bought one in the pop-​up shop in the main museum… it came with a sheet on how to take care of it; we will see if I can keep it alive!
The grounds are amazing! The gardens range from formal gardens, to wooded areas, to vegetable patches and fruit trees. The Lilly House offers interesting tours, and the 100 Acres part is always so much fun! The greenhouse has an amazing range of plants for sale at very competitive prices!
I know the IMA’s decision to charge admission was somewhat controversial, but I can’t imagine trying to fund such a place without charging admission. Memberships are a great deal; a couple of visits and they pay for themselves!

I love the IMAs facilities, it’s a gorgeous building filled with gorgeous art and helpful (but not aggressive or prodding) staff. I love the 100 Acres. It’s a great place to hike with friends or get away and read.
The IMA also has great programming activities like Summer Nights, where they show movies in the outdoor amphitheater behind the museum. It is $ 12 a ticket, but you’re permitted to bring your own food and drink. Their College Nights are also a great way to get plugged into Indy’s art community.
However, the drawback for me is the new price. Since the IMA was free to me in college (and I was an art student) I visited numerous times — almost every other month. Now that I’m out of school, and the feature exhibit is really the only thing that changes regularly, I limit my visits to special events and free days.
But if you enjoy art and have never been, it’s definitely worth spending a day at the IMA!

The word «serene» encapsulates my experience at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, despite visiting with several young children who wanted to touch everything. (You’d think, instead of «serene» it would be «serenity now!» But, I guess, thus is the magic of the IMA. Even with a gaggle of children in tow, the peace and beauty of the museum wraps itself around you.)
The Richard Wentworth exhibit that is suspended above your head as you walk into the entrance («False Ceiling — Indiana») is pretty amazing. It consists of hundreds of donated books hanging from the ceiling. Everything from cookbooks to romance titles to gumshoe crime novels were used to create the dynamic piece.
The museum has all styles and periods of art, but my favorite installation is on the third floor (I think? Maybe 4^th floor.) It’s the only artwork you are encouraged to touch! In a dimly lit room, you stand at the entrance to the room and observe what looks like a gray square painted on the wall. But as you walk closer to the square, with your hand outstretched, you soon realize that the artwork is not what it seems to be! I won’t give away the surprise — go see it for yourself! Kids get a kick out of it. (Heck, I got a kick out of it, too.)
There is a café on the first floor of the museum with lots of fresh, healthful food options. I got a sandwich and a bag of chips — not too original, but both were really good! (They sell the fancy chips with seeds and stuff in them.) My meal was a little pricey (about $ 9), but I guess that’s to be expected from a lunch at an art museum.
On a nice day, you can take your food outside and sit at one of the concrete planters just outside the museum — that’s what I did. In the grass just beyond this area are huge metal art pieces, as well as a big piece that spells LOVE.
You should be aware that the IMA does not allow backpacks to be worn inside the museum! I made the mistake of packing all my personal whatnots and kid-​related stuff in a backpack and didn’t bring a purse, so then I had to leave it in my car and just carry my wallet. It’s kind of a bummer if you don’t know this rule beforehand, so if you didn’t know, now ya know!

As IMA would say «MORE THAN A MUSEUM!
The IMA is a beautiful place from the Garden and Lily House to the art Exhibit! I love how each room is designed and structured differently to fit that art works era .
This Museum has everything you want and more! A store full of beautiful handcrafted Art, a café, library and more!!!
If you have not yet came to see the IMA it’s free the first Thursday of every month 4−9pm

I love a good museum and this place was spectacular. We got here right when it opened so it wasn’t too busy. Directly outside the museum is a few sculptures, including the LOVE sculpture and something called Five Brush Strokes, which I am convinced is actually bacon, either way, I loved it. There was a great selection of different styles of art inside and while I found the map a little hard to read, that was fine. The rooms feed into each other so you just keep going towards more art. There were a lot of great exhibits and instillations.
There is a café on the first floor that had better choices than I expected.
We decided to take the tram tour. When we initially came in and asked, we were told it was part of the admission we paid, but when time came around to go on it, we were then told it was an extra $ 5. We decided to pay and go anyway. It took you only through the garden surrounding the Lilly House (included in admission but we opted to pass on going in). The way it was explained to us, we thought it would also go through part of the sculpture garden area. So the tram was a little disappointing due to a misunderstanding.
I am looking forward to going back to check out the sculpture garden on foot when it is not raining.

I have to be honest when it comes to the IMA. I really appreciate art (studied it in undergrad), but this museum is not worth the admission price if you’ve already been there once or twice before.
I was completely disappointed to hear that they would now be charging admission to not only get into the museum, but also to the grounds by the museum and building. And not only that, they now charge for parking! as someone that is careful how I spend my money, this just doesn’t fit into my budget anymore.
Yes, the art is great, but only once or twice. I’ve been there close to 15 times and it’s the same old, same old to me. The only thing that is great are the 100 Acres and the pieces that change in the front lobby area.
Yes, the facilities are great. And yes, the staff are very helpful. But it’s just simply not worth visiting if you’ve already been there a time or two.

This is one of the best museums I’ve been to, in Indy or elsewhere. Between the museums rotating exhibits, outdoor movie events, 100 Acre Woods, and beautiful gardens, there’s something for everyone. It’s great for all ages, mobility levels, and even for those that think they don’t like art. Personally, I like the lobby area the best, since it rotates interesting installations. (See the photo.) Be sure to check out the Lilly house (connected to Lilly pharmaceutics tycoons) around Christmas and bring a camera. Lovely place for a picnic or a leisurely walk.

The IMA is one of my favorite places to take Indianapolis visitors. The art collection is wide and varied, providing a good intro to different artists and eras.
However, the real gem here is the grounds. 100 Acres is beautiful in any season and it’s a great place to walk around and experience art with friends and family. Also, if you’re a John Green fan you’ll be interested to learn that you can see the «Funky Bones» sculpture from «The Fault in Our Stars» in the park.
I also recently had the pleasure of attending a wedding reception in the museum’s events pavilion. Small dance floor, fun space.

I am writing this review to review the Project IMA Fashion Show I attended this past weekend. I love the 100 acres woods but this was my first event at the IMA. They did a great job!
I had no idea what to expect before the show. Was this going to be fashion I could wear? Local boutiques? Fashion school designers? I had no idea so I really went in with no real expectation.
It turns out it was not fashion of clothes I would wear but art. Clothes are art, as this really should be the way you go into the event. You are looking at art and not something you want to go to a date night in. Thinking of the fashion show in this way is what really made the event for me. It is amazing what talented artists can do with fabric (or material we don’t consider fabric) and make it into a work of art. The IMA did a great job of showing me this.
I highly recommend this event or something like it to anyone looking for a night of fun art or a girls night (as I did, they have wine). Link below. Only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars as it was a bit pricey for a 30 minute show. $ 20 dollars (but hey, you are supporting our local art museum.)

I had never been inside the IMA before this week. SHAME, I know. How had I not yet explored this incredible place practically in my own backyard?
It was a beautiful fall afternoon so I decided, what the heck, let’s go explore. I was on the hunt for a free annual membership using my handy dandy student ID — students attending Butler, CTS, IUPUI, Marian, Martin, and UIndy all get a free membership for a year. Crazy, right?! All you have to do is go to guest services inside the main entrance and fill out an application. Your official membership card comes in the mail a few weeks later.
Parking was easy (and free!) to find in the paved surface lot off the 38^th Street entrance. There is also a parking garage.
Before I even went inside, I strolled around the front lawn area and marveled at the gorgeous flowers and landscaping. Wooden benches beneath shaded trees? Check. Big beautiful fountain? Check. The requisite visit to the iconic Robert Indiana LOVE sign? Done. It’s worth it alone just to go there and sit on a peaceful sunny afternoon!
The inside though? IT’S SO BIG. Goodness gracious, it goes on forever. Three floors of gallery space that wind and weave to more rooms. You’re like «there can’t be more…» but there is, and then you’re lost. But fear not, ask for a map at guest services or ask one of the friendly workers in the rooms. I had no idea the IMA had such an expansive collection — and everything from artistic paintings to ancient relics and fashion pieces. Something for everyone with any interest!
I also just really loved the modern vibe — high ceilings, bright, spacious. The escalators and elevators make it very accessible for all visitors.
I was impressed with how many staff members were spread in the gallery areas. They didn’t bother me, but one kind fellow noticed I had stopped to ponder a crisp, photograph-​like painting and informed me that Napoleon’s brother used to own it. So cool! They are there to enhance the experience and answer questions but not bug you.
According to the website and brochure, photography is allowed, but not for commercial use. I didn’t take many photos because I thought it wasn’t allowed and that’s why the staffers were there — to watch us like hawks and snatch my camera. Guess not!
Don’t forget the Lilly Gardens (need a membership to explore there), the IMA Café, and 100 Acres (which is free and open dawn to dusk — take entrance off of 38^th Street).
You can spend an hour here or a whole day here — it really depends on what you get out of the experience. There’s a handy guide at guest services called «I have an hour» with recommendations on what to see to make the most of your visit!
TL;DR do yourself a favor and check out this state of the art museum in Indy!

The museum and grounds have come a long way but the interior still seems like a corporate office and a Nordstrom department store ran into each other. Put a piano in that atrium and the marriage is complete.
What I appreciate about the museum, though, is that it certainly has enough space to display a good portion of the permanent collection. While the Greek/​Roman and Americas collections are no more than a passing nod, the African collection is very strong and the Asian collection has some good surprises, especially among the scroll paintings. The modern art galleries don’t play it safe: there are some challenging works here. I spent more time in the fashion arts galleries than I expected as I imagined a friend wearing some of the truly striking dresses.
I had no intention of visiting the Dream Cars exhibition after a long day going through all of the other galleries; however, I’m very glad I did. These cars are stunning and I dare anyone not to be seduced by at least a few of them. This exhibition is on through next month: go… go now.

A must-​see for visitors (and natives) to Indianapolis. The IMA is an accessible and friendly atmosphere for art connoisseurs and your everyday art enthusiast. There are three floors (2 – 4) with different collections to immerse yourself in. My personal favorite was the American contemporary art exhibit, which featured designs and cultural icons such as Apple products which I could relate to.
The gift shop focuses its stock on authentic art rather than your run of the mill namesake souvenirs. Have a close look and bring your wallet so you can take home a part of IMA to remember the visit.